With the arrival of Ramadan, questions that are repeated every year have come to the fore again. Can I fast during pregnancy? What happens if I fast while breastfeeding? Will it affect my baby? I will basically answer these questions, which vary greatly depending on current conditions.
Undoubtedly, not every pregnancy, not every mother and not every baby is the same, and Islam is a religion of convenience. Nowadays, people fast for up to 17-18 hours, and this long period of time triggers many negative processes. During a fasting period of more than 8 hours, it activates the body's defense mechanisms and increases blood flow to vital organs, causing complaints such as general weakness, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, nausea, headache, muscle aches and inclination to sleep. With the increased need for water and nutrients during pregnancy, the tolerance of this process may be more challenging and may begin to affect the baby. In response to this hunger, the baby may experience a decrease in baby movements, a decrease in amniotic fluid (water), intrauterine growth retardation, and the threat of preterm birth. Due to these effects, we do not recommend fasting during pregnancy. However, some pregnant women state that they do not experience these negative situations and that they can easily tolerate fasting. In this case, the current risk status should be determined by a doctor's check-up. If no problems are observed in the baby and mother, fasting can be supported by adjusting the daily water, calorie and vitamin and mineral levels required for close monitoring. However, if an adverse situation occurs, immediate medical attention should be sought and precautions should be taken.
During the breastfeeding period, if the baby is only receiving breast milk in the first 6 months, fasting is not recommended as the nutritional and satisfying effect of the milk will decrease with long-term fasting. After the transition to the supplementary feeding period, the mother can continue if she can provide a sufficiently balanced diet between iftar and sahur and if she feels well. However, it should not be forgotten that the breastfeeding period requires special nutritional needs, just like the pregnancy period. A sample nutrition list should be obtained by consulting experts and, if necessary, the use of food supplements should be started.
As a result, without making generalizations, each pregnant woman and mother should be evaluated specifically for their own situation, and risk factors should be taken. In such cases, expert advice should be strictly followed. I WISH YOU A HAPPY, PROSPEROUS AND HEALTHY RAMADAN.
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